Tong



July 19, 1932.' J- PETERSON ET AL 1,867,889

TONG

Filed June 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet Joseph 4- Peerson, Carl E. Olsen,

I N V EN T0 Rs TTORNEK July 19, 1932.

J. A. PETERSON ET AL TONG Filed June 50,. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph A. Peerson, Carl E. Olsen,

IN VEN TORS.

A TTORNEY.

Patented July 19, 1932 narran STATES `JOSEPHl A. PETERSONAND CARL E. OLSEN, OF .HOUSTOLL '.LIEXAS.r

TONG

Application filed .Tune 30,

This invention rela-tes generally to tongs and specifically to chain tongs.

A tong of this general type includes a chain, and a handle connected thereto and g, movable back and forth to effect rotation of the pipe or other work to which it is applied. A. pipe to be rotated is seldom in an open space where the tong handle can be swung through any desired arc. Ordinarily, the pipe is surrounded by adjacent objects so that the tong can be swung back and forth only through avery small arc. This invention has for one of its principal objects the provision of a tong embodying new and improved means whereby its chain is automatically held taut on the pipe so that when the handle is swung in a forward direction there is no lost motion, the pipe being immediately `gripped and turned; and whereby the chain is immediately slackened and slips about the pipe when the handle is swung in the reverse direction, so that a new gripping engagement may readily be effected.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 25 vision of a new and improved securely gripping tong that will not crush, distort or cut the pipe to which it is applied.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved tong that may be 30 applied to pipes of various sizes.

Various other objects will hereinafter appear.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is an end view with the chain broken and one of the Ijaw teeth removed; Fig. 2, a fragmentary sectional side elevation illustrating the application of the tong to a pipe; Fig. 3, a fragmentary top plan view of the tong applied to a pipe; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the tong applied to a pipe; and Fig. 5, a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the tong applied to a pipe.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the handle is indicated at 1 and the jaw at 2. The jaw is substantially V-shaped, and comprises a pair of spaced pipe-engaging sections 3, each of which has thereon a serrated 1931.l serial 110.5473325. y

tooth 4. The sections 8 are by cross pieces 5 and 6.

The handle 1 extends between the sections of the jaws and is pivoted to the base of the jaw as indicated at 7. In one armof the jaw and in each of the sections 3 is a socket 8 in a iiange 9. These sockets 8 are adapted to receive the ends of any one of the pins 10 connecting the links of the chain 11, whereby the chain may be connected to the jaw 2. The handle 1 has an extension 12 slotted as indicated at 18 for the reception of the chain and having a pair of bores as indicated at 14 for the reception of the ends of lany one of the pins l0 of the chain whereby the chain may be connected to the handle. l It will be noted that the chain is connected tothe eX- tension 12 at a point between the connection of the chain and jaw at 8 and the pivot 7 of the jaw.

The handle has an arcuate slot 15 and a pin 16, carried by the jaw, extends through this slot. The handle has a chamber 17y in which is a compression spring 18 to cause the plunger 19 to bear against the pin 16.

joined together 'The movement of the jawvon its pivot? is limited by the engagement of the handle bumper 20 and jaw cross piece 6; and' by the engagement of the handle extensionl 12 and the jaw cross piece 6, so that the end walls of the arcuate slot 15 in the handle 1 cannot engage the pin 16 of the j aw.

The operation of the tong may briefly be described as follows:

lVhen the tong is applied `to the pipe, the handle is moved with respect to the jaw `to compress the spring 18. Then the chain is passed about the pipe,and its end is pulled until it is taut, and the ends of one of the pins'lO is thenA placed in the sockets 8 of the jaw. When the handle is released,the spring serves to hold the chain taut and to hold the jaw in contact with the pipe. lhen it is desired to turn the pipe, the handle is swung in a forward direction (downwardly, Figs. 2 and 4). The chain and the teeth 4, being already'in contact'with the pipe, are immediately moved into gripping engage'mentA therewith, and the pipe is turned. j

When it is desired to secure a new grip on the pipe, the handle may be swung in a reverse direction, (upwardly, Figs. 2 and 4:) whereupon the chain is immediately slackened, and the teeth l release the pipe, because the extension 12 is moved downwardly against the resistance of the spring 18. As soon as the handle is released, the spring 18 functions to draw the chain taut'and to move the jaw teeth into contact with the pipe, so that the handle mayV again be swung in a forward direction to immediately turn the chain. It will be apparent that the chain may also be slackened by pulling the handle in a direction away from the pipe; and so the handle may be pulled away from the pipe and at the same time swung in a forward direction without turning the pipe, and when the desired position is reached the handle may be released to permit its movement back to- -ward the pipe to permit the chain to again become taut, after which the forward movement of the handle may be continued to cause turning of the pipe.

The pins of the chain extend laterally from the links, and so any one of these pins may be placed in the recesses 8, according to the size of the pipe to be turned. Should the permanent connection of the chain to the handle extension l2 become broken, a new connection may readily be effected without disturbing any of the other parts of the tong because the extension is outside of the jaw, and any one of the pins 10 may be placed inV the-bores 14. The use of special chain sections to connect t-he chain to the handle and jaw is, therefore, avoided. Y

Figs. 2 and l show the handle bumper 2O f and the jaw cross piece 6 in Contact. This will not occur until an excessive turning force is applied to the handle. Ordinarily, the bumper 2O is out of contact with the cross piece 6 to permit tightening of the chain into gripping engagement with the pipe.

yThe .turning of the pipe iseffected principally by the friction between the chain and the pipe. The chain is in contact with very nearly the entire periphery of the pipe, and the pull on the chain is tangential to the pipe. The j aw engages the pipe at the meeting ends of the chain. And so, the teeth 4 do not appreciably cut into the pipe and there can be no crushing or objectionable distortion.

No strain is placed upon the pin 16 because the handle engages the cross piece 6l to prevent the end walls of the slot y15 from coming into contact with said pin.

The cross piece 5 is placed at a point where the greatest strainl on its arm of the aw occurs.

The spacing ofthe jaw sections and the disposition of the chain therebetween, provides a well-balanced tong. Vhen the tong is applied to an annular flange on pipe fittings and the like, the jaw sections straddle the flange and the chain securely grips it.

Fig. 5 illustrates a. modification of the tong shown by the other figures. The modified tong has a special jaw 22 having an arcuate' surface 23 to fit a pipe of a given size. This tong will be found particularly useful in turning pipes that are easily distorted and cut, because the surface 23 will serve to support the pipe and there is no biting action whatever.

While the tong provided by this invention is especially useful on pipes, it will also be found very useful on various other work.

We claim:

1. A tong having a handle; a jaw pivotally mounted on said handle; a pipe-engaging chain connected to said jaw and to said handle; said handle having an arcuate slot;a pin carried by said jaw and movable in said slot; and a spring-pressed plunger carried by said handle and bearing `against said pin to automatically cause relative movement of said aw and handle to tighten said chain on the pipe to which it is applied; said aw and handle having engaging means to prevent contact between said pin and the end walls of said slot.

2. A tong comprising a jaw having a pair of spaced sections, each of said sections having a pipe-engaging tooth; a handle extendrear portion of said sections; ay chain connected to the forward portion of said handle and extending between said sections to be placed about a pipe and connected to the forward portion of said sections; a pin carried by said jaw; and a spring-pressed plunger carried by said handle and bearing against said pin to automatically cause relative movement of said handle and jaw to tighten said chain on said pipe; said handle and Yjaw being provided with means to prevent engagement of said pin by said handle; said handle being movable to cause gripping engagement of said pipe by said chain and teeth.

ln testimony whereof, we hereunto afliX our signatures.

JOSEPH A. PETERSON. CARL E. OLSEN.

ing between and pivotally connected to the f9.5 

